DEVICE AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING CURRENT INFORMATION FOR A GEOGRAPHIC POINT OF INTEREST

• US 20120262277A1
• Filed: 04/14/2011
• Published: 10/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ronin Licensing, LLC
• Original Assignee: Ronin Licensing, LLC
• Inventors: Oliveira, Alexandre H.
• Granted Patent: US 8,686,832 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/8.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A computer-based system manages and communicates the identity, attributes, and current state of a geographic point of interest. The system includes a beacon device and a distributed data network. The beacon device includes a housing supporting control electronics, a display, and communication electronics. The beacon is placed at a visible location at the geographic point of interest and receives information concerning the geographical point of interest. The display visibly communicates the information while the communication electronics communicates the same information to the distributed data network. A user can query a location-based service and receive the same information from the distributed data network that is being communicated by the display, assuring communication of accurate and consistent information concerning the geographic point of interest.

Claims

1. A computer based method of displaying and providing updated information concerning a geographic place of interest comprising:

providing a beacon device including a housing supporting control electronics, a display, and communication electronics, the housing configured to be suspended in a visible location in the geographic place of interest;

the control electronics receiving information concerning the geographic place of interest;

generating an image on the display visibly communicating the information; and

utilizing the communication electronics to transmit the information to a location based service.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising suspending the housing adjacent to a vertical surface wherein the image is visible within and/or proximate to the geographic place of interest.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the vertical surface is visible proximate to an entrance to the geographic place of interest.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the information includes attribute information indicative of an attribute of the geographic point of interest.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the attribute is one or more of a payment accepted at the geographic point of interest and normal operating hours of the geographic point of interest.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the beacon device includes a user interface, the information is received through the user interface, the information is indicative of an operating status of the geographic point of interest.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving a request for information through the communication electronics and wherein transmitting the information is in response to the request.

8. A computer based method of providing information concerning a geographic point of interest comprising:

providing a beacon device including control electronics and communication electronics, the beacon device configured to be fixedly located at the geographic point of interest;

the control electronics receiving information concerning the geographic point of interest;

the control electronics receiving a request for the information through the communication electronics; and

the control electronics transmitting the information to a location based service in response to the request.

9. The computer based method of claim 8 wherein the information is received through the communication electronics and the information includes attribute information indicative of an attribute of the geographic point of interest.

10. The computer based method of claim 9 wherein the attribute information includes global positioning data and wherein the information communicated to the location based service includes a location of the geographic point of interest based upon the global positioning data.

11. The computer based method of claim 8 wherein the beacon device includes a user interface, the information includes operating status information received through the user interface.

12. The computer based method of claim 8 wherein the beacon device includes a display and further comprising the display generating an image communicating the information.

13. A computer based system for displaying and providing reconciled information concerning a geographic point of interest comprising:

a beacon device having a housing configured to be suspended in a visible location relative to the geographic point of interest, the housing supporting control electronics electronically coupled to a display and communication electronics, the beacon device configured to;

receive attribute information indicative of an attribute of the geographic point of interest;

receive operating status information indicative of a status related to the geographic point of interest;

generate an image on the display that communicates information including one or more of the attribute information and the operating status information; and

transmit the information to a location based service.

14. The computer based system of claim 13 wherein the geographic point of interest is a business establishment, the beacon housing is configured to be suspended adjacent to a vertical surface in the business establishment so that the image is visible at a location outside of the business establishment.

15. The computer based system of claim 13 further comprising a distributed data network configured to facilitate and optimize communication between the beacon device and the location based service.

16. The computer based system of claim 13 wherein the beacon device includes a user interface, the operating status information is received through the user interface.

17. The computer based system of claim 13 wherein the beacon device is configured to receive a request from the location based service and wherein transmitting the information is in response to the request.

18. A computer based system for displaying and providing reconciled information concerning a geographic place of interest comprising:

a beacon device having a housing configured to be suspended in a visible location relative to a geographic point of interest, the housing supporting control electronics and communication electronics, the beacon device configured to;

receive information concerning the geographic point of interest;

receive a request for information concerning the geographic point of interest; and

transmit the information to a location based service, the information includes one or more of the attribute information and the current state information.

19. The computer based system of claim 18 wherein the information includes attribute information indicative of an attribute of the geographic point of interest received through the communication electronics.

20. The computer based system of claim 19 wherein the attribute information includes global positioning data and wherein the transmitted information includes the location of the geographic point of interest based upon the global positioning data.

21. The computer based system of claim 18 wherein the beacon device includes a user interface, the information includes operating status information received through the user interface.

22. The computer based system of claim 18 wherein the housing includes a display and wherein the beacon device is further configured to visibly communicate the information on the display.

23. The computer based system of claim 18 further comprising a distributed data network configured to facilitate and optimize communication between the beacon device and the location based service.

24. The computer based system of claim 23 further comprising the location based service, the location based service configured to receive the request from a customer and to provide the information to the customer.

25. The computer based system of claim 24 wherein the location based service is a distributed location based service that, together with the distributed data network, is configured to facilitate communication between the customer and the beacon device to eliminate sources of error due to out of date intermediate databases.